Power Passage {Birdie} Comprehension, Fluency, Smart Art, Writing, Quiz

TeacheR tO the CORE

1. Highlight the nouns
4. Add eggs to the book
2. Cut and stack in order
5. Glue on bird’s tail
6. Glue book to nest, add eyes & beak
3. Staple
7. Staple again to reinforce © K. Knight -Freebie Teacher to the Core

Name:_________________
Circle or highlight the nouns.
How “Tweet” it is!
Nouns Search
Birds are amazing creatures.
They build nests in tall trees. 1
Birds can fly up to their nest
and rest every night. 2
Birds make their nests out of
twigs, leaves, and even paper. 3
Birds will lay eggs in their nests. The
mother bird keeps them warm. 4
Each egg has a baby chick
inside. The baby chick will hatch. 5
After it hatches, the baby will stay
in the nest until it learns to fly. 6
Have you ever seen a nest? You
can find them in trees. 7
You can also find nests in the eves
of your house or in tall bushes. 8
Copyright K.Knight 2013 Teacher to the Core

I can identify or find the nouns in sentences. I can identify or find the nouns in sentences.
I can identify or find the nouns in sentences.
I can identify or find the nouns in sentences.
I can identify or find the nouns in sentences.
I can identify or find the nouns in sentences.
I can identify or find the nouns in sentences.
I can identify or find the nouns in sentences.
I can identify or find the nouns in sentences.
Copyright K.Knight 2013 Teacher to the Core

Rich Text and Multiple Readings
Second grade teachers, you might be using this passage to test reading comprehension.
This text is perfect for that!
Reading
First grade teachers, you are probably using this passage for fluency/
multiple readings. If that is the case, you will notice that the reading level/
Lexile is high. This is on purpose. For fluency purposes, students are not reading
this in one sitting, one time. They are not reading this alone. They have
you helping and guiding them through it. I hope they have upper grade
reading buddies in school and homework helpers at home. This content is
not phonics based, rather it is Social Studies and Science based. This is so
that children are spending their time reading text that will enrich their lives,
spark their imaginations, and cultivate curiosity. This also meets the Common
Core demand for upping informational reading on a daily basis.
You will also notice a mix of Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary located at the
top of the passage. I call these power words. The tier 3 vocabulary is essential
for understanding the particular content in this passage. Tier 2 vocabulary will
continuously show up in text that students come across in grades1-12. Research
shows that spending time on Tier 2 words will help students acquire essential vocabulary
and become better readers with deeper, lasting comprehension.
Reading games, like Crazy Professor, and strategies, like
Punctuation Poppers, are essential to building fluency and making
it fun! I have written a “Comprehension and Fluency 101” guide to help. It
has 10 game-changer strategies, tools, posters, and whole-group reading
games, to help your fluency program fly. There are 9 posters that come with
the pack. They come in 2 sizes (8.5x11 and 11x17). They also come in full color
and black and white. This Comprehension and Fluency 101 pack comes with
full explanations and pictures of how to use every tool, implement each strategy, play
each whole-class game, and have the time of your life teaching reading comprehension!
© Katie Knight 2014 Teacher to the Core email: katieknight@sbcglobal.net

Daily Drill in My Classroom
1st thing while I check homework:
2- 3 Minutes- Independent read of fluency passage
2-3 Min.– Shoulder Buddies read together at desks
2 Minutes- Choral Read or Echo Read (this supports low readers and language learners)
10-15 min of my Language Arts Block
Fluency Instruction & Games
Afternoon with Upper grade buddies
2 minutes to buddy up and settle in
1 Minute: Review power words
1-1 ½ minutes 1st grader reads to 6th grade buddy
1 minute record / graph / encourage
Weekly Plan
All elements listed in bold are resources that are included in the 101 unit.
Read the passage as often as you can fit it into your day
Day 1: Raw read the passage with Buddies (This gives you a baseline #)
Day 2: Find and highlight and discuss the power words during Lang Arts Block (ELA 10-15 min).
This is the day I usually do the ART associated with the passage. (30 min.) Read with buddies during
scheduled time
Day 3: Read with VOICE STICKS and Punctuation Poppers. Make up motions for the passage for
CRAZY PROFESSOR (ELA 10-15 minutes) Read with buddies during scheduled time.
Day 4: OMIT A WORD Strategy. Teacher reads and omits key vocabulary words. (ELA 5 min) &
play CRAZY PROFESSOR (5 min) and read with buddies
Day 5: READERS CHALLENGE (ELA 20 min for 2 rounds) I give the QUIZ that comes with passages
(10 min) Buddy Read at our scheduled time. Award kids for growth with a Skittle.
© Katie Knight 2014 Teacher to the Core email: katieknight@sbcglobal.net

Homework Example Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs.
Words read 40
- Errors - 2
CWPM 38
Let’s read for 1 minute. My fluency skills get better each time I read this passage. I can read informational text and also remember what I read. CCSS RI
Homework helper. The best way to read this passage is to have the child read for1 min. Then, you read it to them. Last have them read it one more time.
Power
Words
nest safe predator harm gather babies
incubation hatch remain fly themselves
Birds are amazing creatures. Most
birds can fly. Most birds build their
nests in high safe spots. A bird
wants to find a safe place for their
home. They do this so they do not
get eaten by a predator. A bird will build its nest with
whatever it can find. Some common materials you will find
in a bird’s nest are twigs, fabric, mud, and even paper.
A mother bird will lay her eggs in her nest. She will sit on
the eggs to keep them warm. This is called incubation.
The babies inside the eggs need to stay warm so they can
grow. Baby birds hatch out of their eggs when the time
is right. The babies will remain with their mother until they
can fly and find food for themselves. Then they will go
out into the world and build their own nests.
© and created by Katie Knight 2014 Teacher to the Core
5
12
19
27
35
47
57
68
82
92
104
115
126
137
146

Name: ______________________________
How TWEET it is to be a bird !
I can read informational text. I can also understand it and retell what I learned. CCSS RI The best way to read and remember is to concentrate,
imagine what you are reading, and to read this lots of times. It’s even more fun to read with a friend or a family member.
Power
Words
nest safe predator harm gather babies
incubation hatch remain fly themselves
Birds are amazing creatures. Most
birds can fly. Most birds build their
nests in high safe spots. A bird
wants to find a safe place for their
home. They do this so they do not
get eaten by a predator. A bird will build its nest with
whatever it can find. Some common materials you will find
in a bird’s nest are twigs, fabric, mud, and even paper.
A mother bird will lay her eggs in her nest. She will sit on
the eggs to keep them warm. This is called incubation.
The babies inside the eggs need to stay warm so they can
grow. Baby birds hatch out of their eggs when the time
is right. The babies will remain with their mother until they
can fly and find food for themselves. Then they will go
out into the world and build their own nests.
© and created by Katie Knight 2014 Teacher to the Core
5
12
19
27
35
47
57
68
82
92
104
115
126
137
146

Name: ______________________________
How TWEET it is to be a bird !
I can read informational text. I can also understand it and retell what I learned. CCSS RI The best way to read and remember is to concentrate,
imagine what you are reading, and to read this lots of times. It’s even more fun to read with a friend or a family member.
Power
Words
nest safe predator harm gather babies
incubation hatch remain fly themselves
Birds are amazing creatures. Most
birds can fly. Most birds build their
nests in high safe spots. A bird
wants to find a safe place for their
home. They do this so they do not
get eaten by a predator. A bird will build its nest with
whatever it can find. Some common materials you will find
in a bird’s nest are twigs, fabric, mud, and even paper.
A mother bird will lay her eggs in her nest. She will sit on
the eggs to keep them warm. This is called incubation.
The babies inside the eggs need to stay warm so they can
grow. Baby birds hatch out of their eggs when the time
is right. The babies will remain with their mother until they
can fly and find food for themselves. Then they will go
out into the world and build their own nests.
© and created by Katie Knight 2014 Teacher to the Core

My Name_______________________
I can read informational text. I can also remember
what I read. This is called comprehension CCSS RI 1-7
Common Core State Standards for Reading Informational Text
How Tweet
it is to be a bird !
10
%
1. All birds can fly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . True / False
2-3 What might you find in a bird’s nest?
_________________
__________________
4-5. Can you think of 2 safe places for a bird to build
their nest? ________________ __________________
6. Why does a bird need to find a safe place to build a
nest? ___________________________________________
________________________________________________.
7. Baby birds hatch from _________________.
8-10 Label the egg, bird, and nest.
© Katie Knight 2014 Teacher to the Core

My Name_______________________
I can read informational text. I can also remember what
I read. This is called comprehension. CCSS RI 1-7
Common Core State Standards for Reading Informational Text
How Tweet
it is to be a bird !
1. All birds can fly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . True / False
2-3 What might you find in a bird’s nest?
_________________
__________________
4-5. Can you think of 2 safe places for a bird to build
their nest? ________________ __________________
6. Why does a bird need to find a safe place to build a
nest? ___________________________________________
________________________________________________.
7. Baby birds hatch from _________________.
8-10 Label the egg, bird, and nest.
© Katie Knight 2014 Teacher to the Core

Read 1
Read 2
Read 3
Read 4
Read 5
10 +
correct
20 +
correct
30 +
correct
40 +
correct
My Comprehension and my
Fluency
50 +
correct
get better every day !
60 +
correct
70 +
correct
80 +
correct
90 +
correct
100+
correct
110+
correct
120+
correct
130+
correct
140+
correct
Read 5: How much do you understand about the topic? Circle: A little I know some stuff I know a ton about the topic.
Read 1: How much do you understand about the topic? Circle: A little I know some stuff I know a ton about the topic.
Name
© Katie Knight 2014 Teacher to the Core.

Read 1
Read 2
Read 3
Read 4
Read 5
10 +
correct
20 +
correct
30 +
correct
40 +
correct
My Comprehension and my
Fluency
50 +
correct
get better every day !
60 +
correct
70 +
correct
80 +
correct
90 +
correct
100+
correct
110+
correct
120+
correct
130+
correct
140+
correct
Read 5: How much do you understand about the topic? Circle: A little I know some stuff I know a ton about the topic.
Read 1: How much do you understand about the topic? Circle: A little I know some stuff I know a ton about the topic.
Name
© Katie Knight 2014 Teacher to the Core.

Read 1
Read 2
Read 3
Read 4
Read 5
10 +
correct
20 +
correct
Name:
30 +
correct
40 +
correct
My Comprehension and my
Fluency
50 +
correct
get better every day !
60 +
correct
70 +
correct
80 +
correct
90 +
correct
100+
correct
110+
correct
120+
correct
130+
correct
140+
correct
© Katie Knight 2014 Teacher to the Core.

Read 1
Read 2
Read 3
Read 4
Read 5
10 +
correct
20 +
correct
Name:
30 +
correct
40 +
correct
My Comprehension and my
Fluency
50 +
correct
get better every day !
60 +
correct
70 +
correct
80 +
correct
90 +
correct
100+
correct
110+
correct
120+
correct
130+
correct
140+
correct
© Katie Knight 2014 Teacher to the Core.

Birds build
nests.

Birds build
nests.
Why?
____________
____________
____________
Where?
____________
____________
____________
What do they use
to make it?
____________
____________
____________

Birds build
nests.

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